Why Do Whales Have Blubber?

What Is Blubber?

• Blubber is similar to human fat. It is stored between the skin and the muscles and can be understood as excess energy, or calories that have potential energy. Humans build up fat if they eat food and do not burn it off through exercise. The same is true of whales, but they do it for the purpose of storing energy.

Warmth

• The main reason for blubber storage in whales is to provide warmth. Whales are found in all ocean environments around the world, and the temperatures in open water can be extremely cold, especially at the depths where whales like to swim. This layer of fat insulates the whale's body, allowing its internal organs to operate efficiently no matter where it is in the ocean. The amount of blubber a whale has depends on where it tends to live. Bowhead whales can have 20 inches of blubber because they live in the Antarctic. Dolphins have 1/4 inch of blubber, as they prefer warmer waters.

Traveling

• Blubber is also important in terms of the distances whales travel. Whales can navigate extreme distances every year traversing large portions of the globe. This can mean going through areas that lack a plentiful supply of food, such as plankton. The blubber can be burned off in this situation as a replacement for scarce food, allowing the whale to continue swimming until it encounters a food source.

Aerodynamics

• It can seem unusual to think about an animal the size of a blue whale being aerodynamic, but the blubber actually helps it use less energy. The blubber fills out underneath the skin, reducing the drag effects of its bone structure and making its overall shape more streamlined. This means it uses less energy propelling itself through the water.